Can Juice Scruggs Elevate Texans Offensive Line?

The Houston Texans selected Penn State center Juice Scruggs with the 62nd pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, hoping to strengthen their offensive line.

Scruggs had a car accident in 2019, a week before his redshirt freshman season. The four-star recruit was told he may never play again, but he was ready to play just 1.5 years later.

"I think I'm just going to show everybody that I can still play football," Scruggs said.

Scruggs certainly was still able to play football.

In 2021, he took snaps as a right guard and center, starting every game. The following season, he only played center but was excellent in both years.

In that two-year span, Scruggs played 1,812 snaps (1,060 pass-block and 752 run-block), allowing just 26 hurries, seven hits, and three sacks, per PFF.

Scruggs and the offensive line were a major factor in Penn State's 11-2 Rose Bowl-winning season.

NFL Network scouts raved about him when he was selected by Houston.

"[Scruggs] does a nice job of keeping his hands inside," NFL Network said. "He uses those pads as a steering wheel, keeps his hands inside, and controls that way. He can latch and create some movement at the point of attack...Penn State centers will battle you in the NFL, and this guy is in that long line of people."

Despite their poor season in 2022, the Texans were actually in the better half of teams in terms of sacks allowed. However, there is always room for improvement, especially with the young offensive skill players they have.

Scruggs and Texans rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud battled in college last season. Stroud and Ohio State won in a tight 44-31 battle.

Scruggs left it all on the field and looks forward to playing in the NFL with his former rival.

"I am excited to work with [Stroud] and just get to go know him," Scruggs said. "Just trying to build the relationship and get the chemistry going. What I thought about him in college, I thought he was the best quarterback in the country for sure."

Scruggs' skill set should also be effective on Houston running back Dameon Pierce, who is eager to improve in year two.

"I just want to be a difference on the field when you see me play," Pierce said. "In terms of my development, my maturity on the field, and I just want to be a better ball player than I was last year. I just want to keep improving and keep climbing."

Scruggs, Laremy Tunsil, and the rest of the Texans' underrated offensive line may be able to achieve these goals.

The Texans begin training camp on July 26 at 9 a.m. CT. We will first see these possibilities then.